On Friday, September 28, Ground Reconsidered attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and official opening of the Discovery Center, a partnership between the National Audubon Society (Audubon Pennsylvania) and the Philadelphia Outward Bound School.  The site is on a decommissioned water reservoir in East Fairmount Park near the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood.  Originally built in the late 1800’s to provide clean water to Philadelphians, the 37-acre reservoir was closed to the public in the 1970s.  Since that time, nature has taken over, creating a unique urban oasis and a critical stopover point for migrating birds.  Audubon and Outward Bound have teamed up to save and sustain this important site and to open the education center for environmental conservation and leadership development.

As the Landscape Architect on the project, Ground Reconsidered worked with Digsau to recreate the initial feeling of discovery as you walk up the steep slope of the man-made berm to the large expansive view of the reservoir lake.  Plants native to the Mid-Atlantic region were chosen to increase ecological functionality, providing habitat for birds, butterflies, and other animals, while also providing important education opportunities.  Learn more about the Discovery Center in PlanPhilly’s “Building for Discovery”. For hours, events, and programming visit www.DiscoveryPhila.org

In 2013 Ground Reconsidered led a team to redesign the beloved Von Colln Memorial Park in line with the Philadelphia Department of Parks & Recreation’s More Park, Less Way initiative to transform the area around the Benjamin Franklin Parkway into a destination and resource for those who reside near, visit and use the Parkway. On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, City officials, the design team, and children from a nearby summer camp met at Von Colln for a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting. After remarks from Kathryn Ott Lovell, Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Rec, Managing Director Michael DiBerardinis, Council President Darrell Clarke, and Councilman William Greenlee, the Von Colln family joined to cut the ribbon to mark the official re-opening of Von Colln. Just moments after the ribbon was cut, kids filled the new playground and sprayground in celebration. In addition to the new playground and sprayground, improvements to the site include new pedestrian lighting, sidewalks, improved safety surfaces, and updated public restrooms.

Ground Reconsidered would like to thank our client, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, our design team members Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Zimmerman Studios, and Morris Arboretum for helping bring the design to reality.

Learn more about the dedication ceremony from 6ABC Action News, KYW News Radio and Philly ChitChat.

During the June 14 WHYY Radio Times program, hosted by Marty Moss-Coane, the past, present, and future of Philadelphia parks and architecture was discussed in conjunction with the opening of the Reading Viaduct Rail Park. The program features a segment with executive director of Friends of the Rail Park, Kevin Dow, while he walked with Radio Times producer Jon Ehrens in the new park. About 33 minutes in, Moss-Coane, Philadelphia Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron and architectural historian David Brownlee discuss enhancements designed by Ground Reconsidered for the iconic Benjamin Franklin Parkway over the last decade including the introduction of green stormwater infrastructure, bike lanes along the outer lanes of the Parkway, and new public parks constructed over I676 at the Free Library of Philadelphia, the former Family Court Building and Franklin Plaza.

Click here to listen to the full program on the WHYY Website.

One aspect of the site design at CHOP’s Roberts Center for Pediatric Research are the sophisticated custom benches embedded in the site’s public plazas. Guided by Cooper Robertson & Partners initial concept, Ground Reconsidered worked to meticulously develop the design and adapt it to fourteen unique site conditions. Once the bench fabrication was awarded, Ground Reconsidered worked closely with Landscape Forms to fine-tune the assembly. Landscape Forms’ custom department, Studio 431, and Landscape Architects at Ground Reconsidered collaborated to ensure every nuanced detail was realized. The resulting execution was made all the more gratifying by the challenges of the design.

After the success of the project, Studio 431 interviewed Principal Karen Skafte and Senior Associate Justin DiPietro and developed a case study on the collaboration. Click here to read the case study.

On Friday, April 20, Schuylkill Banks and CHOP Roberts Center for Pediatric Research hosted the dedication ceremony for the newest segment of the beloved Schuylkill River Trail from South Street to Christian Street. Blooms of Redbud trees and Daffodils were in attendance on the trail. Ground Reconsidered is honored to continue helping Philadelphia reclaim its riverfronts!

Many thanks to all who attended and a very special thank you to Urban Engineers, who led our team on this project. Read more about the dedication ceremony in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Photos 7 and 8 courtesy of Lane Fike, P.E., Director of Capital Projects at Schuylkill Banks.

We are pleased to announce two promotions: Justin DiPietro is now a Senior Associate and Lindsay High Stanislaw has been promoted to Associate.

Justin’s thoughtful, comprehensive, and collaborative response to all aspects of the design process result in extraordinary projects. Over the past few years Justin’s work has included large scale urban public realm spaces (CHOP Roberts Center for Pediatric Research), more intimate courtyard spaces at the University of Delaware’s South Academy Residence Hall and development of integrated stormwater management strategies for several PWD planning projects.

Lindsay’s approach to landscape design and materiality stems from her careful understanding of each site and client. Her work always responds creatively and appropriately, providing beauty, delight, joy, and comfort. In recent years, Lindsay’s work has included the entry court and plazas as well as the 28^th floor amenity terrace at FMC Tower, the transformation of Cira Centre’s front plaza into a destination place, and the development of rich, tapestry plantings for the University of Pennsylvania.

Congratulations to American Campus Communities on their 2017 Multi-family Pillars of the Industry Award for Best Student Housing Rental Apartment Community for the Summit at University City! We are proud to be part of the design team with architects Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) on this complex project with many facets.

Ground Reconsidered was the Landscape Architect on the team, responsible for design and documentation of the multi-level amenity terrace built over the parking garage, the streetscape and the entry stairs. The terrace includes a fire pit, outdoor kitchen, tables and chairs, a multi-level bike parking structure, and a lounge area. The planters are designed to capture and filter stormwater from the adjacent roofs. The entry stairs provide both circulation and an occupiable space to sit and wait for friends, socialize, and collaborate.

The Summit at University City was completed in 2015 and received an Award of Excellence from the Urban Land Institute in 2016.

We are proud to announce that last month the Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) MidAtlantic chapter honored two projects as part of the ENR MidAtlantic’s 2017 Best Projects on which Ground Reconsidered collaborated.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Roberts Center for Pediatric Research received an Award of Merit in the Higher Education/Research category. Close coordination between design disciplines allowed for bridging the gap, literally and figuratively, between the site and its surrounding neighborhood. Ground Reconsidered designed the landscape planting, and detailed and documented over 4.5 acres of public realm space, much of which is built on top of building structure. Situated along the Schuylkill River, the site manages nearly all of its stormwater runoff with raingardens and cisterns. Lushly planted public spaces welcome visitors from South Street and the adjacent neighborhoods, and provides direct access to the popular Schuylkill River Trail via a newly constructed pedestrian bridge.

The SEPTA Crum Creek Viaduct Replacement Project received an Award of Merit in the Highways/Bridges category. While the replacement of the bridge was an engineering feat of its own, Ground Reconsidered prepared the landscape plan to restore and reestablish Crum Woods back to its ecologically rich state. The presence of Crum Creek, endemic geology, and varied topographic changes creates a naturally diverse landscape and abundant wildlife habitat. The landscape restoration plan will be nurtured over the next few years until the initial plantings are established under the care of the Crum Woods Stewardship Committee. (Photo courtesy of Figg Bridge Engineers, Inc.)

In June, The Urban Land Institute of Philadelphia recognized two projects Ground Reconsidered collaborated on with Awards of Excellence at the 4th Annual Willard G. “Bill” Rouse III Awards. The plazas and amenity roof garden at FMC Tower at Cira Centre South (left) and the playground, sprayground, rain garden and streetscape at the South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center (right) were designed by Ground Reconsidered.

Criteria for the awards include innovation in planning and design, including adaptability to other communities, sustainability, economic success, overall community health and social impact to address neighborhood revitalization goals. An independent and national panel of jurors, including leaders in real estate, land use and development from across the country, were tasked with selecting the highest quality projects.

On Wednesday, May 17, Ground Reconsidered was in King of Prussia for the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the initial segment of THE PARK—a new linear park created within the heart of the King of Prussia business park at 650 Park Avenue.

This initial segment is a demonstration project for the full linear park, currently in design. Once complete in late 2018/early 2019, THE PARK will transform the business park into a cohesive community for the businesses, residents, and visitors while bringing many new amenities to the area. Some amenities include multi-use sidewalks, lush landscaping, solar-powered pedestrian lighting, active workstations, recreational games, benches, movable tables and chairs, trash receptacles, seating walls, and plazas for gathering and respite. Phase Two will continue the linear park along First Avenue from American Avenue to Allendale Road.

THE PARK is a superb example of collaboration between KOP-BID (a private, not-for-profit business improvement district), Upper Merion Township, PennDOT, and 21 private property owners to create a public park utilizing access easements on private property. The demonstration park was funded, in part, by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority provided through Upper Merion Township and managed by KOP-BID, along with matching funds from Brandywine Realty Trust and KOP-BID. The next phase of the 2.6-mile linear park is expected to begin construction in 2018.